U.S. President Donald Trump has once again issued a warning to Oman as Iran discloses collaboration with the Gulf Arab nation on a strategy to oversee shipping activities in the Strait of Hormuz. The complete reopening of this critical water passage has been a significant demand from the United States.
Simultaneously, the 60-day negotiation period aimed at reaching a peace agreement between the U.S. and Iran has lapsed with no indication of an extension, leaving both sides seemingly as distant in their positions as they were at the onset.
Recent developments on Monday in the U.S. and the Israel-Iran conflict show Iran nearing a deal with Oman. Iran has reported reaching a consensus with Oman over a plan for vessels to navigate through the Strait of Hormuz, which lies between the two nations. Efforts are now underway to finalize the particulars for a joint statement.
Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Esmail Baghaei, speaking in Tehran, Iran’s capital, mentioned that there is an understanding regarding the transit route map. While he did not provide further details, previous information suggests that the agreement would allow ships to pass through the strait, entering near Iran and exiting close to Oman without incurring any fees during an interim period.
The U.S. has been pushing for a satisfactory deal to reopen the strait before lifting its blockade on Iranian ports. The strait, a crucial route through which approximately one-fifth of the world’s traded oil supplies used to pass before the conflict, was effectively closed by Iran following attacks by Israel and the U.S. on the country on Feb. 28.
In a separate incident, Trump reportedly threatened Oman in a conversation with Fox News reporter Trey Yingst, implying that the U.S. would take military action against Oman if it interfered. This is not the first instance of Trump making such threats towards Oman, as he previously stated during a cabinet meeting in May that Oman must comply or face consequences.
Trump disregarded the expiration of the 60-day deadline for peace talks, asserting that there is no fixed timeline. He also mentioned having a back channel for discussions with the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps. United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres has urged both Iran and the U.S. to resume peace talks, emphasizing that a military solution is not viable and calling for a de-escalation of recent aggressive rhetoric.
Furthermore, Yemen’s Houthi rebels, supported by Iran, claimed responsibility for attacking a ship and four military vessels in the Red Sea off the Yemeni city of Mokha near the strategic Bab el-Mandab Strait. The rebels purportedly launched ballistic missiles at the vessels, causing them to capsize and catch fire. The Houthi rebels asserted that the targeted vessels belonged to Saudi Arabia, although no concrete evidence was provided, and there was no immediate response from Saudi authorities.
Additionally, drone attacks targeted two officials in northern Iraq, believed to have been launched from Iran’s border. One drone struck the office of Masrour Barzani, the prime minister of Iraq’s semi-autonomous northern Kurdish region, while the other targeted the residence of a high-ranking regional intelligence official. No casualties were reported, and no group has claimed responsibility for the attacks. These attacks represent a departure from the typical pattern of assaults on U.S. facilities in Iraq seen since the onset of the conflict between the U.S. and Iran. Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi sought to distance Iran from the attacks, cautioning against divisive actions aimed at creating discord among neighboring nations.
Amid these developments, U.S. forces stationed in the Kurdish region of Iraq have initiated a withdrawal process ahead of the agreed-upon deadline of Sept. 30 to conclude the U.S. military presence in Iraq.